DE
Frankfurt
Germany’s financial capital, with a skyscraper skyline, a rebuilt old town, riverside museums and apple wine taverns
Germany’s financial capital, with a skyscraper skyline, a rebuilt old town, riverside museums and apple wine taverns
The stepped-gabled medieval town hall on the Römerberg square, the city’s historic heart, which hosts a Christmas market in winter.
Photo: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0
A quarter of half-timbered houses between the cathedral and the Römer, reconstructed and completed in 2018 on the site of buildings destroyed in the war.
Photo: Simsalabimbam, CC BY-SA 4.0
A row of museums along the south bank of the Main, including the Städel art museum, reached across the Eiserner Steg footbridge.
Photo: Dontworry, CC BY-SA 3.0
Try Apfelwein (apple wine) with Grüne Soße (green herb sauce), Handkäse mit Musik (marinated cheese) and Frankfurter sausages.
Traditional apple wine taverns cluster in Sachsenhausen, across the river from the old town.
Frankfurt Airport is about 15 minutes from the city centre by S-Bahn, with long-distance trains from its own station. The U-Bahn, S-Bahn and trams cover the city.
Germany is in the EU and the Schengen area and uses the euro. EU citizens need only an ID card; citizens of the UK, US, Canada, Australia and many other countries can visit visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, with biometric registration under the EU Entry/Exit System. An ETIAS travel authorisation is also due to be introduced. Check current rules before you travel.
Frankfurt hotels are expensive during trade fairs such as the Book Fair; weekends can be cheaper.
Prices rise sharply during major trade fairs.
Old town, river and skyline.
Explore the Römerberg, the new old town and the cathedral, then go up the Main Tower for the skyline view.
Visit the Städel and other museums on the Museumsufer, then dine in an apple wine tavern in Sachsenhausen.
🛂 Entry rules: EES and ETIAS
Germany is in the Schengen area, which has two EU border systems for non-EU visitors.
EES (in force): since 10 April 2026 the EU’s Entry/Exit System registers non-EU visitors’ passport details, fingerprints and a photo the first time they enter the Schengen area, replacing passport stamps. Allow extra time at the border on your first trip; later crossings are quicker. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens are not registered.
ETIAS (not yet running): a €20 online travel authorisation for visitors who don’t need a visa, such as UK, US, Canadian and Australian citizens. It hasn’t started and no start date has been confirmed, so nobody can apply yet; ignore websites that offer to “pre-register” you for a fee.
Visa-free visitors can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the whole Schengen area, not per country.
Official information: EU: Travel to Europe (EES & ETIAS) · Reviewed September 2026
The Deutschlandticket (€63 a month in 2026) covers local and regional public transport across Germany, but not long-distance ICE or IC trains.
Cards are now widely accepted, but some small bars, bakeries and market stalls still prefer cash.
Check the trade fair calendar before booking; hotel prices can triple.
The Rheingau wine region and the Middle Rhine are easy day trips.
Quick answers for planning time in Frankfurt.
Citizens of the UK, US, Canada, Australia and many other countries can visit visa-free for up to 90 days in 180, with registration under the EU Entry/Exit System.
By S-Bahn, in about 15 minutes.
Yes, for its old town, museums, skyline and apple wine culture, and it is a convenient base for the Rhine.
A tart cider served in taverns, traditionally from a stoneware jug.
Yes, the Main Tower has a public viewing platform.
Google Maps works well; the DB Navigator app covers trains and most local transport.
Free
Planning a wider trip? Our Germany travel guide covers getting there, costs, when to go and more.